Driver faces charges of cargo theft and more

Published: Monday, July 28, 2014 at 3:49 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, July 28, 2014 at 3:49 p.m.

A truck driver was arrested Monday after reportedly leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase through Marion County in a stolen semi-trailer that was hauling a shipping container.

Leonardo Reyes-Ning, 49, was spotted driving the rig on U.S. 441 near the intersection of Southeast 52nd Street at approximately 6:30 a.m. The semi was being tracked by GPS and had earlier been reported stolen from Port Wentworth, Georgia, according to police reports.

A Marion County sheriff’s deputy tried to pull the truck over, but Reyes-Ning did not stop and continued heading south at a high speed. An Ocala Police Department officer joined the chase.

The deputy tried to get in front of the semi, but Reyes-Ning reportedly swerved the vehicle into the adjacent lane, causing the deputy to swerve onto the shoulder of the road, according to reports.

Reyes-Ning reportedly made the same maneuver several times, causing at least one other sheriff’s deputy to take to the shoulder.

Sheriff’s Lt. Tim O’Hara was able to get in front of Reyes-Ning and slowed the semi down, reports state.

Reyes-Ning abandoned the truck in the 9700 block of South U.S. 441 and ran into a wooded area along the road.

OPD Officer Jessica Nasworth chased Reyes-Ning into the woods and ordered him to surrender. Reyes-Ning eventually stopped and turned, but did not raise his hands like Nasworth ordered. She fired her Taser at the man, hitting him with the electroshock weapon. Reyes-Ning was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail.

Austin Pennington was on his way to work when he found himself in the middle of the chase.

“I passed the truck and noticed a police car behind me. I didn’t think much of it and kept going. As I got over the hill, I looked back and here comes the truck hauling it past me,” Pennington said.

He pulled over to the side of the road and let the police cars, which now numbered five, pass. He got back on the road and continued south.

“The police cars started trying to get on the side of him and he started swerving left and right to keep them from getting on the side of him,” Pennington said. “It’s not what you expect to see on a Monday morning.”

The shipping container held more than $50,000 worth of clothing that had been shipped from Shanghai, China, to the Port of Savannah.

A second tractor/shipping container rig, also stolen from the same shipping facility in Georgia, was recovered in northwest Marion County near State Road 326. That vehicle had been abandoned.

Detective Erik Dice with the sheriff’s cargo theft task force, has little doubt that Reyes-Ning warned the other truck driver about officers.

“I don’t think it’s part of any particular ring. A lot of times it’s former truck drivers or out-of-work truck drivers trying to make some money,” Dice said.

Cargo theft accounts for billions in losses every year.

“It’s probably (among) the top five crimes in the country. Some $30-plus billion a year are stolen,” he said.

The second container also was loaded with clothing.

Officials said the value of the goods in both containers was estimated at $210,000.

Reyes-Ning has a commercial driver’s license and lives in Miami. He did not speak with detectives. He was charged with one count each of cargo theft, fleeing and eluding law enforcement and resisting arrest without violence. He was being held at the jail in lieu of a $511,000 bond.

<p>A truck driver was arrested Monday after reportedly leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase through Marion County in a stolen semi-trailer that was hauling a shipping container.</p><p>Leonardo Reyes-Ning, 49, was spotted driving the rig on U.S. 441 near the intersection of Southeast 52nd Street at approximately 6:30 a.m. The semi was being tracked by GPS and had earlier been reported stolen from Port Wentworth, Georgia, according to police reports.</p><p>A Marion County sheriff's deputy tried to pull the truck over, but Reyes-Ning did not stop and continued heading south at a high speed. An Ocala Police Department officer joined the chase.</p><p>The deputy tried to get in front of the semi, but Reyes-Ning reportedly swerved the vehicle into the adjacent lane, causing the deputy to swerve onto the shoulder of the road, according to reports.</p><p>Reyes-Ning reportedly made the same maneuver several times, causing at least one other sheriff's deputy to take to the shoulder.</p><p>Sheriff's Lt. Tim O'Hara was able to get in front of Reyes-Ning and slowed the semi down, reports state.</p><p>Reyes-Ning abandoned the truck in the 9700 block of South U.S. 441 and ran into a wooded area along the road.</p><p>OPD Officer Jessica Nasworth chased Reyes-Ning into the woods and ordered him to surrender. Reyes-Ning eventually stopped and turned, but did not raise his hands like Nasworth ordered. She fired her Taser at the man, hitting him with the electroshock weapon. Reyes-Ning was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail.</p><p>Austin Pennington was on his way to work when he found himself in the middle of the chase.</p><p>“I passed the truck and noticed a police car behind me. I didn't think much of it and kept going. As I got over the hill, I looked back and here comes the truck hauling it past me,” Pennington said.</p><p>He pulled over to the side of the road and let the police cars, which now numbered five, pass. He got back on the road and continued south.</p><p>“The police cars started trying to get on the side of him and he started swerving left and right to keep them from getting on the side of him,” Pennington said. “It's not what you expect to see on a Monday morning.”</p><p>The shipping container held more than $50,000 worth of clothing that had been shipped from Shanghai, China, to the Port of Savannah.</p><p>The 2006 Freightliner semi-trailer hauling the container is owned by Davidson Transit, reports state.</p><p>A second tractor/shipping container rig, also stolen from the same shipping facility in Georgia, was recovered in northwest Marion County near State Road 326. That vehicle had been abandoned.</p><p>Detective Erik Dice with the sheriff's cargo theft task force, has little doubt that Reyes-Ning warned the other truck driver about officers.</p><p>“I don't think it's part of any particular ring. A lot of times it's former truck drivers or out-of-work truck drivers trying to make some money,” Dice said.</p><p>Cargo theft accounts for billions in losses every year.</p><p>“It's probably (among) the top five crimes in the country. Some $30-plus billion a year are stolen,” he said.</p><p>The second container also was loaded with clothing.</p><p>Officials said the value of the goods in both containers was estimated at $210,000.</p><p>Reyes-Ning has a commercial driver's license and lives in Miami. He did not speak with detectives. He was charged with one count each of cargo theft, fleeing and eluding law enforcement and resisting arrest without violence. He was being held at the jail in lieu of a $511,000 bond.</p>